Female Biting and Mounting

Eddie · 03-09-2011, 02:39 PM

Hi All,

It has been a long time since I have posted on here, although I do regularly visit and read through the threads. However I do need some advice?

I have 3 Ibera tortoises, on Adult Male, and two females which have just entered adult hood.

My problem is this, since hibernation this year both females have started mounting each other and my male, although he shows no interest. But in the last two days one of the females (Rachel), has taken to following the Male (Eddie) everywhere. She rams him, mounts him and then circles him biting his legs. He doesnt seem to mind too much, but occasionally gives her a ram and walks off.

Is this normal behaviour?

I am going to post some pictures in the Identifcation section, as its been a few years since I had them sexed, and am now worried Rachel may be a girl.

Just a picture to give some visual aid

**egyptiandan64** · 03-09-2011, 02:58 PM

Now we know why the mounting

Rachel is a boy

Danny

Eddie · 03-09-2011, 03:17 PM

We certainly do. Maybe I should change the title to "Male biting and Mounting". I also need to rename Rachel, as thats not a very manly name... any suggestions?

I am now a bit worried about potenitally getting eggs. Eddie had shown no interest in the other two so I had no worries about breeding them. But Rachel has been mounting monica. And Monica is big enough to lay eggs. What should I be looking out for, I am so unprepared for this.....?

**Bindi** · 03-09-2011, 03:26 PM

Don't panic, signs of gravid behaviour are restlessness, sometimes aggression, pacing the perimeter...

Eddie · 03-09-2011, 03:32 PM

ok thanks, I'll try not to panic. She has been staying up later than the other two, wondering the garden, but I wouldn't say she has been restless. Is there anything else I should be looking for. Or anything I should prepare, incase she does need to lay?

**Bindi** · 03-09-2011, 04:07 PM

You need nest site somewhere for her to lay., I'm not the best on details but a warm sunny site, soil not too stoney, dug over but compacted slightly so she can dig but it doesn't all collapse on itself.
Soil should be slightly dampish but not wet it needs to hold itself together so she can dig a good flask shaped hole to lay.

A friend of mine has a pit filled with sand which wworks well for her, and when I had a gravid female I was advised to pour a kettle full of boiling water over the nest pit first thing in the morning

Eddie · 03-09-2011, 04:19 PM

Excellent thank you. I currently do not have an area suitable, so will fix one up ASAP. thanks for all your help so far.

**Bindi** · 03-09-2011, 04:24 PM

You're very welcome

**Bindi** · 03-09-2011, 04:29 PM

oh, forgot to say, pit should be at least half as deep as the tort is long, they will keep digging until their feet don't touch the ground anymore

03-09-2011, 02:39 PM	#1
Eddie Member Hatched Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 272	Female Biting and Mounting Hi All, It has been a long time since I have posted on here, although I do regularly visit and read through the threads. However I do need some advice? I have 3 Ibera tortoises, on Adult Male, and two females which have just entered adult hood. My problem is this, since hibernation this year both females have started mounting each other and my male, although he shows no interest. But in the last two days one of the females (Rachel), has taken to following the Male (Eddie) everywhere. She rams him, mounts him and then circles him biting his legs. He doesnt seem to mind too much, but occasionally gives her a ram and walks off. Is this normal behaviour? I am going to post some pictures in the Identifcation section, as its been a few years since I had them sexed, and am now worried Rachel may be a girl. Just a picture to give some visual aid __________________ 3.0.0 Testudo Graeca Ibera

03-09-2011, 02:58 PM	#2
egyptiandan64 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: USA Posts: 14,171	Now we know why the mounting Rachel is a boy Danny __________________

03-09-2011, 03:17 PM	#3
Eddie Member Hatched Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 272	We certainly do. Maybe I should change the title to "Male biting and Mounting". I also need to rename Rachel, as thats not a very manly name... any suggestions? I am now a bit worried about potenitally getting eggs. Eddie had shown no interest in the other two so I had no worries about breeding them. But Rachel has been mounting monica. And Monica is big enough to lay eggs. What should I be looking out for, I am so unprepared for this.....? __________________ 3.0.0 Testudo Graeca Ibera

03-09-2011, 03:26 PM	#4
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	Don't panic, signs of gravid behaviour are restlessness, sometimes aggression, pacing the perimeter... __________________

03-09-2011, 03:32 PM	#5
Eddie Member Hatched Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 272	ok thanks, I'll try not to panic. She has been staying up later than the other two, wondering the garden, but I wouldn't say she has been restless. Is there anything else I should be looking for. Or anything I should prepare, incase she does need to lay? __________________ 3.0.0 Testudo Graeca Ibera

03-09-2011, 04:07 PM	#6
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	You need nest site somewhere for her to lay., I'm not the best on details but a warm sunny site, soil not too stoney, dug over but compacted slightly so she can dig but it doesn't all collapse on itself. Soil should be slightly dampish but not wet it needs to hold itself together so she can dig a good flask shaped hole to lay. A friend of mine has a pit filled with sand which wworks well for her, and when I had a gravid female I was advised to pour a kettle full of boiling water over the nest pit first thing in the morning __________________

03-09-2011, 04:19 PM	#7
Eddie Member Hatched Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 272	Excellent thank you. I currently do not have an area suitable, so will fix one up ASAP. thanks for all your help so far. __________________ 3.0.0 Testudo Graeca Ibera

03-09-2011, 04:24 PM	#8
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	You're very welcome __________________

03-09-2011, 04:29 PM	#9
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	oh, forgot to say, pit should be at least half as deep as the tort is long, they will keep digging until their feet don't touch the ground anymore __________________

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)